US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Reaffirms Differences with Donald Trump's Immigration Policy
Donald Trump has agreed to partake in a Q&A session with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, an advocacy group for approximately 3.2 million Latino-owned businesses, but the organization has staunchly disagreed with the Republican presidential candidate’s political stances.
As Latin Post reported, USHCC President and CEO Javier Palomarez and Trump agreed to a question and answer event for Oct. 8. Before the Oct. 8 event was announced, Palomarez and Trump had a private meeting on Sept. 1, where the two men addressed their stance on the issues.
In a statement from the USHCC, released in a mass distribution email, the organization summarized that the talks included the topic of immigration. The USHCC noted it disagrees with Trump on immigration. Since Trump announced his presidential bid in June and notably after Trump's controversial comments about Mexican immigrants, the USHCC has condemned the businessman's remarks and identified how immigrants have contributed to the U.S.
"The USHCC disagrees with Donald Trump on immigration. Trump's immigration plan is neither politically nor economically expedient," the USHCC said in a statement released late Tuesday, via email. "Comprehensive immigration reform is an economic imperative for our country. Our nation's immigrants contribute greatly to America's prosperity and allow us to remain competitive in a globalized economy."
According to the USHCC, Palomarez told Trump that his immigration plan would "decimate the agricultural, hospitality, and technology sectors," and "Trump agreed." During Tuesday's meeting with Trump, Palomarez spoke about the Latino electorate, mentioning 52 percent of the U.S. population growth was because of the Latino community.
"Hispanics and immigrants have a huge contribution to the American economy, with a consumer purchasing power of $1.5 trillion dollars a year," the USHCC stated in another mass email, noting the consumer purchasing power is bigger than Mexico, South Korea, Saudi Arabia.
The Oct. 8 event will be similar to other Q&A sessions held for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Trump's inclusion, however, comes as he has been criticized for statements impacting the Latino community. Although Trump said he will win the Latino vote, his proposals called for mass deportations of the 11.3 million undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S., the end of birthright citizenship -- a 14th Amendment provision that grants U.S. citizenship to U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants, defense of the term "anchor babies" -- and his altercation with Univision journalist Jorge Ramos.
According to Trump's advisers, the USHCC's views have been mischaracterized by the media.
In a study by the George W. Bush Institute and USHCC, immigrants are starting new businesses at twice the rate compared to U.S.-born citizens and 1 in 5 new small businesses are started by an immigrant.
Must Read: Donald Trump on Immigration Reform: Deportation of All Immigrants Criticized by Political Latinos
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